Kedai Kopi Pak Nab in Rutgers: The Report

Program Kedai Kopi Rutgers University.

Waktu program: Sabtu 17 Oktober 2009 (9:00 malam – 11:30 malam)

Senarai yang hadir:

Fahzan

Aishah Nayan

Kwang Huei

Taufik

Farah Najeeha

Kai Li

Najmi

Zahid

Atilia

Manford Goh

Zaim

Hamidah

Foo Tzehkeong

Hanis Haziqah

Jumlah Perbelanjaan: $43.76 untuk minuman, makanan ringan dan lain-lain.

Tuan rumah untuk program, Taufik dan Najmi juga ada menyediakan bihun goreng dan nasi. Ini tidak termasuk dalam $43.76 di atas.

Bahagian 1) Democracy: a Flawed System?

Antara soalan-soalan yang ditimbulkan:

· What is democracy?

· How is it different from other systems?

· Why is democracy more prevalent in today’s world?

· Why is the west more “successful” in holding democracy? Is democracy superior to other political systems?

· Differences of democracy practiced in Malaysia and the rest of the world

Antara respons-respons dari hadirin:

· Democracy is a system that emphasizes on the power of majority of the people to decide the direction the government would take.

· Comparison with other systems such as monarchy, theocracy etc. Theoretically, democracy seems to be the system that favors the mass as a whole. However, it could still be abused and taken advantage of if the people do not really understand how the system works.

· Democracy seems to work successfully in the western countries. A lot of countries in the third world countries theoretically practice democracy (by having election etc), but corruption is still rampant and power abuse is still a norm. This could be attributed to the mentality of people and their knowledge of the working system of democracy.

· Democracy is not the ultimate superior political system. In the history of the development of human civilization, successful empires and civilizations come and go with different political systems. Even the founder democracy, the ancient Greek empire crumbled and fell out of favor. Democracy is probably more relevant today but not saying, 300 years ago. This explains that political system works in cycle of time. Democracy may become less dominant in the future.

· In addition, in democratic countries, decision making sometimes take a long time due to the process that takes place in the parliament or senate. Therefore, in some way, the decision making process in developing countries may better be made by only a small of people to speed up the process of development.

· Democracy in Malaysia: how the political system changed from the sultanate of different states to parliamentary democracy.

Bahagian 2: Problems with current education system

Antara soalan-soalan yang ditimbulkan:

· Does our current education system promote integration between races?

· The dilemma of the language of instruction

· Scholarship program and its impact and effectiveness on Malaysian development

Dan jawapan-jawapan dari hadirin:

· Some audiences disagree with the vernacular schools. Kids do not interact with kids from different racial background from young age. This creates massive misunderstanding and suspicion between races.

· A lot of Chinese feel that national schools only cater Malay students’ interests. They feel these schools are inadequate to cater Chinese students. Some feel that Chinese schools promote more hardworking culture with daily homework and strict regulation (I’m not familiar with Chinese school, so we just take this point anyway)

· Scholarship program has helped Malaysia produce young bright minds. However, the bigger problem is the continuation after graduation and returning to Malaysia from universities abroad. The lack of job and research opportunities that correspond to the qualification hurt the country as students are more interested in finding the opportunities in foreign countries.

Program tamat sekitar jam 11:30 malam.

Prepared by,

Fahzan Ramli

Rutgers University

Kedai Kopi Pak Nab RIT-Part 1

KULN NY-NJ@RIT had its first Kedai Kopi Pak Nab on October 1st, 2009. About 30 members joined the discussion on Vision 2020, NEP, and PPSMI. We were grateful to have two excellent moderators to lead the discussion- Muhamad Taufik Abd Rahim and Mohamad Nazim Baharin. Overall, the activity was regarded successful by the feedbacks received from the participants. It was an eye-opener for some, and for others, it was a platform to voice out their opinions. To wrap-up the discussion, we briefly discussed about 1Malaysia-the concept and the role it plays on our society. All participants agreed that the concept of 1Malaysia is pretty vague and that it should be more defined for people not to misinterpret it. All in all, it was a huge success and we are glad to announce that we are going to have Kedai Kopi Pak Nab-Part 2 sometime soon.

By,

Nur Adilah Mohamed Rosli

Bajet 2010 '1Malaysia, Kemakmuran Bersama'

1. Peruntukan wang berjumlah RM191.5 bilion yang meliputi RM138.3 bilion (72.2 peratus) untuk belanja mengurus dan RM53.2 bilion (27.8 peratus) untuk belanja pembangunan.

2. Bayaran khas RM500 kepada penjawat awam bagi Gred 41 hingga Gred 54 dan setaraf dengannya serta pesara wajib kerajaan pada bulan Disember ini.

3. Peningkatan pengecualian cukai pendapatan kepada penyedia perkhidmatan jagaan kesihatan daripada 50 peratus nilai peningkatan pendapatan eksport kepada 100 peratus sebagai galakan untuk menarik lebih ramai pelancong kesihatan.

4. Pelepasan cukai individu ke atas yuran langganan jalur lebar sehingga RM500 setahun mulai 2010 hingga 2012.

5. Pinjaman pembelian komputer ditawarkan kepada penjawat awam setiap tiga tahun sekali berbanding lima tahun sekali sekarang.

6. Subsidi, insentif dan bantuan hampir RM2 bilion untuk membela nasib golongan petani dan nelayan.

7. Peruntukan lebih RM9 bilion untuk projek infrastruktur termasuk pembinaan jalan, jambatan, bekalan air, perkhidmatan pembentungan, pelabuhan dan perkhidmatan laut serta projek lapangan terbang.

8. Peruntukan tambahan RM20 juta di bawah Tabung Kumpulan Usaha Niaga (TEKUN) untuk usahawan kecil kaum India (Peruntukan sedia ada RM15 juta).

9. Peruntukan RM3 juta sebagai geran pelancaran penubuhan Tabung Kebajikan Penggiat Seni bagi memastikan kebajikan warga seni sentiasa terbela dan diberi perhatian.

10. Peruntukan tambahan RM20 juta untuk memberi pengiktirafan Sekolah Berprestasi Tinggi (SBT) dengan sasaran 20 buah sekolah pada 2010.

11. Menganugerahkan Biasiswa Nasional kepada 30 pelajar terbaik di kalangan yang terbaik berasaskan kepada merit sepenuhnya. Penyandang Biasiswa Nasional ini akan melanjutkan pelajaran ke universiti tersohor di dunia.

12. Menukar pinjaman PTPTN kepada biasiswa bagi pelajar yang berjaya menamatkan pengajian ijazah sarjana muda kelas pertama atau setaraf dengannya bermula tahun 2010.

13. Diskaun tambang 50 peratus bagi perkhidmatan kereta api KTMB jarak jauh kepada pelajar berumur 13 tahun sehingga mereka masih bertaraf pelajar bermula 1 Jan, 2010.

14. Pakej "netbook", termasuk perkhidmatan jalur lebar percuma, kepada 100,000 pelajar universiti tempatan dengan bayaran RM50 sebulan untuk tempoh dua tahun bermula 1 Jan, 2010.

15. Peruntukan RM100 juta bagi pelaksanaan Program PERMATA, yang memberi penekanan terhadap kaedah pengasuhan dan pendidikan awal kanak-kanak secara bersepadu dan terancang.

16. Perlindungan insurans dan takaful mikro untuk peniaga kecil-kecilan mendapat manfaat perlindungan dalam lingkungan RM10,000 hingga RM20,000 dengan premium serendah RM20 sebulan.

17. Menubuhkan 14 lagi Mahkamah Sesyen Khas Rasuah dan empat Mahkamah Tinggi Khas Rayuan Kes Rasuah.

18. Cukai perkhidmatan sebanyak RM50 setahun ke atas kad kredit utama dan kad caj, termasuk kad yang diberi percuma dan cukai pendapatan RM25 setahun ke atas setiap kad kredit tambahan mulai 1 Jan, 2010.

19. Semua kementerian dan jabatan kerajaan diwajibkan untuk menyediakan pusat penjagaan harian dan pendidikan anak-anak dengan setiap kementerian dan jabatan diberi peruntukan RM200,000 untuk penubuhannya.

20. Kadar cukai pendapatan individu maksimum dikurangkan daripada 27 peratus kepada 26 peratus berkuatkuasa tahun taksiran 2010.

21. Pelepasan diri kepada pembayar cukai pendapatan individu dinaikkan kepada RM9,000 daripada RM8,000 mulai tahun taksiran 2010 bagi membolehkan pembayar cukai nikmati peningkatan pendapatan boleh guna sebanyak RM1,000.

22. Hampir 50,000 isi rumah miskin tegar yang berdaftar di bawah program eKasih dan 4,000 isi rumah Orang Asli yang telah dikenal pasti akan dibantu untuk mencapai matlamat sifar kemiskinan tegar. Peruntukan RM41 juta untuk meningkatkan kualiti hidup masyarakat Orang Asli.

23. Peruntukan RM48 juta bagi melaksanakan program pembasmian kemiskinan bandar meliputi bantuan kebajikan dan program bayaran sewa rumah dan Kementerian Wilayah Persekutuan ditukarkan nama kepada Kementerian Wilayah Persekutuan dan Kesejahteraan Bandar.

24. Penyediaan 74,000 rumah kos rendah oleh Jabatan Perumahan Negara untuk disewa pada tahun 2010.

25. Pelancaran skim KWSP pada Januari 2010 bagi membolehkan pencarum mendapatkan jumlah pembiayaan lebih besar bagi pembelian rumah yang bernilai lebih tinggi atau bagi pembelian rumah tambahan.

26. Peruntukan RM224 juta kepada OKU untuk bantuan, melaksanakan Program Pemulihan Dalam Komuniti dan peruntukan RM174 juta untuk warga emas.

27. Kadar elaun kanak-kanak OKU di sekolah pendidikan khas kelolaan NGO dinaikkan daripada RM50 kepada RM150 sebulan bagi setiap orang mulai 1 Jan 2010.

28. Penubuhan Skim Simpanan Persaraan 1Malaysia yang diuruskan oleh KWSP.

29. Potongan caruman pekerja KWSP dinaikkan semula ke kadar 11 peratus secara sukarela berkuat kuasa serta-merta.

30. Membina jalan luar bandar sepanjang 510km dan jalan kampung sepanjang 316km dengan peruntukan RM857 juta termasuk jalan di Kapit, Lawas dan Simunjan di Sarawak serta Kinabatangan, Kota Belud dan Keningau di Sabah. BERNAMA

Source: http://malaysiakini.com/news/115773

A brief info of Bakri Musa, one of the speakers for Alif Ba Ta 2009

M. Bakri Musa

Brief Bio

Bakri Musa’s essays on Malaysian issues have appeared in local publications as The Sun Daily and Education Quarterly, as well as international ones like The Far Eastern Economic Review and International Herald Tribune. His commentary has also aired on National Public Radio’s Marketplace. His latest book is Towards A Competitive Malaysia.

Bakri received his undergraduate, medical and masters degrees from the University of Alberta , and was awarded a Research Fellowship from the Medical Research Council of Canada to pursue research in transplant immunology. A published author in his scientific and professional fields, Bakri is a board-certified surgeon and a Fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the Royal C ollege of Surgeons of Canada .

Prior to coming to California in 1981, Bakri practiced in Oregon , Alberta , and Malaysia . He used to scuba dive and sail his sloop Makan Angin in Monterey Bay , but that time is now taken up tending his Katahdin sheep and free-ranging chicken on his ranch in Morgan Hill , Ca.

M. Bakri Musa

bakrimusa@juno.com

Kedai Kopi Pak Nab in RIT & Rutgers!

Dear folks,

"Kedai Kopi Pak Nab - First Round" has been successfully launched in both RIT & Rutgers. I was told that the participations in both university were encouraging. Oh well, I'd like to congratulate all the individuals who have been working so hard as to ensure the successful of this program in their respective universities. TQ so much.

Anyway, the topics that have been discussed in both universities are as follows:

1)vision 2020, is it still relevant?

2)democracy: a flawed system?

3)PPSMI: a step backwards?

4)religion role in changing the mindset of people

p/s: Stevens students would also have Kedai Kopi in two-week time.

* I will also upload the photos and videos of these Kedai Kopi soon.

Regards,

Shahrir Tamrin

Alif Ba Ta 2009 Website!

Dear folks,

Alhamdulillah, we finally managed to have our own website for Alif Ba Ta Project 2009. Please feel free to through the website as to get details of this project. Any updates regarding this project will be posted on the website, including the registration and stuffs.

Here is the link to the website: http://alifbata.net/wordpress/

Thanks,

Shahrir Tamrin

Alif Ba Ta 2009 is postponed!

Dear folks,

I'm very sorry to inform that our Alif Ba Ta Program will be postponed to 5-6 December 2009. The decision was made after considering few factors, such as the availability of certain speakers, and so on. Anyway, insha Allah, there would be no more changes after this.

Note: Only the date of the program is changed. Others remain the same.

Regards,

Shahrir Tamrin